U.S. patent application number 13/483708 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-22 for systems and methods for booking transport.
This patent application is currently assigned to CAR PILOTS PTY LTD. The applicant listed for this patent is Ayman AHMAD, Amin KROLL. Invention is credited to Ayman AHMAD, Amin KROLL.
Application Number | 20130218647 13/483708 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48982990 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130218647 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KROLL; Amin ; et
al. |
August 22, 2013 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BOOKING TRANSPORT
Abstract
Systems and methods for booking transport are described
including a method including the steps of: receiving job
information including pick-up location information and destination
location information from a user; calculating the cost of the job
based on the location information; and notifying the user of the
calculated cost.
Inventors: |
KROLL; Amin; (Newington,
AU) ; AHMAD; Ayman; (US) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KROLL; Amin
AHMAD; Ayman |
Newington |
|
AU
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
CAR PILOTS PTY LTD
Rhodes
AU
|
Family ID: |
48982990 |
Appl. No.: |
13/483708 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07B 15/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/13 |
International
Class: |
G07B 15/02 20110101
G07B015/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 21, 2012 |
AU |
2012900645 |
Claims
1. A method of booking transport including the steps of: receiving
job information including pick-up location information and
destination location information from a user; calculating the cost
of the job based on the location information; and notifying the
user of the calculated cost.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the pick-up location
information is derived automatically from a positioning system such
as a GPS receiver.
3. A system for booking transport including: receiving means for
receiving job information including pick-up location information
and destination location information from a user; calculating means
for calculating the cost of the job based on the location
information; and notifying means for notifying the user of the
calculated cost.
4. A system according to claim 3 wherein the pick-up location
information is derived automatically from a positioning system such
as a GPS receiver.
5. A method of booking transport including the steps of: notifying
transport providers of available jobs and providing them with job
information including pick-up location information and destination
location information; receiving bid information from the transport
providers indicating their price for undertaking the job; and
assigning the job to one of the providers based on the bid
information.
6. A system for booking transport including: notifying means for
notifying transport providers of available jobs and providing them
with job information including pick-up location information and
destination location information; receiving means for receiving bid
information from the transport providers indicating their price for
undertaking the job; and assigning means for assigning the job to
one of the providers based on the bid information.
7. A method of booking transport including the steps of: receiving
job information including pick-up location information and
destination location information from a user; assigning the job to
a transport provider; and displaying the approximate current
location of the transport provider on a display device of the user
on an ongoing basis.
8. A system for booking transport including: receiving means for
receiving job information including pick-up location information
and destination location information from a user; assigning means
for assigning the job to a transport provider; and display means
for displaying the approximate current location of the transport
provider on a display device of the user on an ongoing basis.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority from Australian Application
No. 2012 900645 filed Feb. 21, 2012.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to methods and systems for
booking transport. The invention has particular application to
booking transport such as hire cars and limousines but is not
limited to that application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In a first aspect the present invention provides a method of
booking transport including the steps of: receiving job information
including pick-up location information and destination location
information from a user; calculating the cost of the job based on
the location information; and notifying the user of the calculated
cost.
[0004] The pick-up location information may be derived
automatically from a positioning system such as a GPS receiver.
[0005] In a second aspect the present invention provides a system
for booking transport including: receiving means for receiving job
information including pick-up location information and destination
location information from a user; calculating means for calculating
the cost of the job based on the location information; and
notifying means for notifying the user of the calculated cost.
[0006] In a third aspect the present invention provides a method of
booking transport including the steps of: notifying transport
providers of available jobs and providing them with job information
including pick-up location information and destination location
information; receiving bid information from the transport providers
indicating their price for undertaking the job; and assigning the
job to one of the providers based on the bid information.
[0007] In a fourth aspect the present invention provides a system
for booking transport including: notifying means for notifying
transport providers of available jobs and providing them with job
information including pick-up location information and destination
location information; receiving means for receiving bid information
from the transport providers indicating their price for undertaking
the job; and assigning the job to one of the providers based on the
bid information.
[0008] In a fifth aspect the present invention provides a method of
booking transport including the steps of: receiving job information
including pick-up location information and destination location
information from a user; assigning the job to a transport provider;
and displaying the approximate current location of the transport
provider on a display device of the user on an ongoing basis.
[0009] In a sixth aspect the present invention provides a system
for booking transport including: receiving means for receiving job
information including pick-up location information and destination
location information from a user; assigning means for assigning the
job to a transport provider; and display means for displaying the
approximate current location of the transport provider on a display
device of the user on an ongoing basis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] An embodiment of the present invention will now be
described, by way of example only, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a system according
to the present invention;
[0012] FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate user interfaces presented to users
of the system of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, a system 10 is shown for booking
transport. The system will be described with reference to booking
hire cars or limousines, although it is not limited to that
application.
[0014] Users of the system are depicted as passengers 20, 21, 22.
Providers of transport are depicted as hire car drivers 30, 31, 32.
System 10 is hosted on an internet connected web server 12 with
access to a database system 14. Passengers 20, 21, 22 and drivers
30, 31 32 interact with system 10 by way of software applications
installed on their mobile phones which communicate by wireless
internet with web server 12.
[0015] Operation of system 10 will be described with reference to
the process of a passenger making a booking for a hire car.
[0016] Passenger 20 wishes to book a hire car for a trip to the
airport. Referring to FIG. 2, passenger opens their software
application on their mobile phone and selects the booking interface
40. At that interface, the user inputs destination location
information being their required destination address at input field
42 and pick-up location information being their required pick-up
address at input field 44 along with their desired pick-up time at
input field 46. There are also tabs at the top of the screen
(one-way, return and by time) which represent trip modes. The user
must select one of these modes.
[0017] Instead of entering a pick-up address, passenger may select
an option whereby the software application uses GPS data made
available by their mobile phone to automatically determine the
current location of the passenger. In this version, the user
instead confirms that the detected pick-up location is correct.
[0018] The passenger selects from available options of number of
passengers travelling at box 48. The passenger may select other
options such as type or class of vehicle required, requirements for
a baby seat etc.
[0019] When the passenger has completed entering all relevant
details on the booking interface, they select an option "submit".
The software application then sends job information to system 10
which includes details of the information entered or selected at
the booking interface.
[0020] The job information is received and processed by system 10.
System 10 analyses the pick-up and destination addresses to
calculate the distance between the pick-up location and the
destination location. The costs per kilometre or per hour depending
upon the selected trip mode for various types of vehicles are
looked up in database 14 along with details of any other
adjustments such as public holiday surcharges, airport surcharges,
flag-fall fees etc. System then calculates the cost of the job that
the user has submitted for all suitable types of vehicles for the
job and presents the user with a vehicle selection screen. Suitable
vehicles are presented (based on the number of passengers) along
with the corresponding calculated costs for the job.
[0021] The user then selects their preferred vehicle. They are then
presented with a summary page which includes all relevant details
of the job they are submitting. The user confirms these details and
then is presented with a payment page. When payment has been
successfully made, the job is processed by the system to allocate
the job to a driver as will now be described.
[0022] During operation of the system 10, many passengers submit
booking requests for various jobs. Drivers wishing to receive jobs
from system 10 pre-register with the operator of the system to
define various criteria such as the types of vehicle(s) they
operate, and the region in which they operate.
[0023] System 10 notifies drivers 30, 31, 32 of available jobs
which match their previously defined criteria by way of a push
notification to the software application on their mobile phone.
Referring to FIG. 3, available job interface 50 is shown which
displays a list of matching jobs 52 to a particular driver along
with the calculated cost of the job. If a driver wishes to take on
a job then they select that job on-screen.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 4, when a driver selects a job they wish
to take they are shown job confirmation interface 60. In the case
that a driver has registered more than one vehicle, they select the
vehicle they propose to use for the job using button 62. Driver
confirms that they wish to take a job by using button 64 "Get Job".
This causes information to be sent to system 10 notifying that a
particular driver has elected to take on a particular job. System
then assigns that job to that driver and sends a confirmation
message to the driver. At the same time, system sends a
notification to the passenger who submitted the job request
advising them that their job has been assigned to a driver.
[0025] The software used by drivers regularly transmits their
current locations to system 10 by way of GPS data made available by
their mobile phone. Shortly before the designated pick-up time, the
user may elect to view the current location of their assigned
driver on a map screen by selecting the appropriate option in their
software application. System 10 regularly transmits the latest
location information for their assigned driver to their device. An
icon indicating the approximate current location of their assigned
driver is overlayed on the map.
[0026] As previously mentioned, system 10 consists of an internet
connected web server computer 12 which has access to a database
system 14. Server computer runs an operating system running
software written and configured to carry out the above described
method. Features of system 10 are therefore embodied in a
combination of hardware and software including:
[0027] Receiving means for receiving information from users of the
system by way of internet, wireless internet or SMS messages.
[0028] Calculating means for calculating various variables used in
the system such as cost and distance etc.
[0029] Notifying means for notifying users by way of push messaging
over internet or SMS messaging or the like.
[0030] Assigning means for assigning jobs to particular drivers
according to pre-defined rules and events.
[0031] Display means for displaying information to users is
embodied in the display screens of their own personal computing
device.
[0032] In a modified version of the method described above, drivers
may make bids for jobs. Following selection of a job at job
selection interface 50, the driver inputs a price at which he is
willing to undertake that job and that price information is
transmitted as a bid to system 10. After the job has been available
for a particular period of time, or at a pre-determined period
before the desired pick-up time, bidding closes. The system then
assigns the job to the driver who made the lowest bid.
[0033] In some embodiments, a passenger may provide feedback by way
of entering details into their software application regarding their
experience of a particular driver. In some embodiments, the
passenger may elect that they do not wish to engage a particular
driver again. In this case, jobs for that passenger are not made
available to that driver.
[0034] It can be seen that embodiments of the invention have at
least one of the following advantages:
[0035] Passengers are advised of the exact price of the job they
have submitted prior to the job being carried out
[0036] Passengers are able to view the approximate current location
of the driver that has been assigned their job. This provides a
passenger with peace of mind that they are going to be picked-up at
their required time
[0037] By enabling drivers to bid for jobs, passengers can obtain
services at a competitive price
[0038] In the system and method described above, transport was
booked being hire cars or limousines. Similarly, the invention has
application to other types of transport including buses, boat
taxis, trains, motorbikes, boats, cruises, airplanes or
helicopters.
[0039] In the system and method described above, users interacted
with the system by way of software installed on their mobile
phones. Similarly, other devices with an internet browser could be
used such as tablet computers, webpads etc. Drivers may use
dedicated hardware devices.
[0040] System 10 may include an application programming interface
(API) to allow integration with one or more global distribution
systems (GDS). These are interfaces used by travel agents or the
like. This API thus allows travel agents to book vehicles or other
transport natively through the GDS they operate.
[0041] Any reference to prior art contained herein is not to be
taken as an admission that the information is common general
knowledge, unless otherwise indicated.
[0042] Finally, it is to be appreciated that various alterations or
additions may be made to the parts previously described without
departing from the spirit or ambit of the present invention.
* * * * *